Lifeskills

Hillcrest staff, as the foundation for our discipline and recognition program, has adopted Lifeskills. It is taught throughout the curriculum on an on-going basis to help children develop personal responsibility along with the district adopted Second Step and Steps to Respect.

Over the past six years, we have only focused on the Lifelong Guideline of Personal Best. Working at your personal best means that you give your best possible performance given the time and resources available. Aristotle wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Personal Best is best defined by the 17 Lifeskills listed below.

Caring: being considerate of othersCommon Sense: making wise decisions and using good judgmentCooperation: working togetherCourage: to act according to one’s set of beliefsCuriosity: a desire to learn and know about all thingsEffort: working hard and being willing to do my personal bestFlexibility: willing to change plans when necessaryFriendship: knowing how to make and keep a good friendInitiative: taking the first stepIntegrity: to be honestOrganization: to be able to plan in an orderly wayPatience: taking time to do somethingPerseverance: finishing what you beginPride: Satisfaction from doing your personal bestProblem Solving: finding out what you know and using itResponsibility: being dependable and trustworthySense of Humor: to laugh and be playful without hurting others

So what are Lifelong Guidelines?

Trustworthiness: To act in a manner that makes one worthy of confidence and trust

Truthfulness: To be honest about things and feelings with oneself and others

Active Listening: To listen with the intention of understanding what the speaker means to communicate

No Put-Downs: Not to use words, actions, and/or body language to degrade, humiliate, or dishonor others

Personal Best: One's best possible performance given the time and resources available